The role of play songs in the moral, social, and emotional development of African children

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Periodical article

Title:	The role of play songs in the moral, social, and emotional development of African children
Author:	Abarry, Abu
Year:	1989
Periodical:	Research in African Literatures
Volume:	20
Issue:	2
Pages:	202-216
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Ghana
Subjects:	Ga traditional education oral poetry children's songs
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/4618229
Abstract:	African children's oral verse seems to have attracted little systematic interest from scholars generally. This paper aims at contributing to a better understanding of this important genre and to its appreciation as a potent source for children's educational development as seen in the case of the Ga of Ghana. The analytical procedure consists of a critical examination of the form and content of the various types of songs collected: nursery rhymes, nonaction songs, and game and dance verses. Form is viewed as the relative grouping of the parts of the songs, connoting shape or coherence of some sort; content as consisting of their themes, values, language, and context, as well as the children's preferences, skills and creativity. Despite the demonstrated educational, aesthetic, and recreational values of the songs, their performances have declined, especially in their natural contexts within town and village communities. Bibliogr., notes, ref.